


We'll Speak In Our Secret Tongues

by DubiousSparrow



Series: River Town [5]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam Parrish Loves Ronan Lynch, Alternate Universe, Christmas, Established Relationship, Fluff, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Married Couple, Married Life, New York, Ronan Lynch Loves Adam Parrish, Texting, cocktails
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25226482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DubiousSparrow/pseuds/DubiousSparrow
Summary: A collection of late night conversations.Ch. 1: You Smell Like LimesCh. 2: Persephone Brings a PieCh. 3: Birthday Shots & MadonnaCh. 4: I ❤️ You, You Big Stupid OakCh. 5: MotherduckerCh. 6: Reading Glasses & RumCh. 7: I Want EverythingCh. 8: ChainsawCh. 9: Mr. F***ing ChristmasCh. 10: Long Live the Shitbox
Relationships: Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Series: River Town [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775125
Comments: 150
Kudos: 269





	1. You Smell Like Limes

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I have ideas for short conversations that Adam and Ronan are having in my River Town AU...
> 
> While I think these can _maybe_ be read on their own, if you like the characterization, start with [I Know You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341941).
> 
> Title from "The Woodpile" by Frightened Rabbit (which has some hardcore Pynch vibes -- it squeeeeezes my heart).

Adam felt warm lips on the back of his neck. He shifted in his sleep, letting out a sigh.

“What time is it?” 

“Late... or really fucking early... go back to sleep,” Ronan whispered against his neck.

Adam felt Ronan’s hand slide under his shirt and rest against his stomach. He pressed himself back against Ronan’s chest, curving his body into his arms.

The loft was dark, and the hum of the bar below had faded. Adam woke early to commute into the city, and usually couldn’t stay up with Ronan to close down the bar. Ronan kept a careful eye on him, waiting for the first yawn, and would send him to bed with a soft kiss, or a not-so-soft slap on the ass. Most nights he’d walk back to his apartment, and Ronan would let himself in after the bar had closed. He would take his heavy boots off at the door and pad around the apartment quietly, stripping off his clothes and climbing into bed to wrap himself around Adam.

On weekends they’d gotten into the habit of staying in Ronan’s loft above the bar since Adam didn’t have to get up early the next day. Ronan still did his best not to wake Adam, but sometimes Adam would turn and kiss his neck, or run his hand over his hip, or pin him against the mattress, and thoughts of sleep vanished.

Ronan loved half-asleep, middle-of-the-night Adam. He loved this Adam with his defenses down. He loved this Adam who spoke from his unguarded heart and not his overworked brain. He coveted the nights when Adam wanted to talk, wanted to pull Ronan to him and tell him everything he felt. Ronan knew he could never push Adam into these moments - he could only wait patiently for them, cherish them, and mirror the love back.

“Was it busy tonight?” Adam murmured.

Ronan hummed in response, “Not really. I let Sargent head out early since I had things covered.”

Adam pulled Ronan’s arms more tightly around him, and sighed contentedly, “You smell like limes. It’s like being in bed with a big skittle. Like it.”

Ronan huffed a laugh into Adam’s neck, “Is that what does it for you, Parrish?”

Adam rolled over and pressed his face into Ronan’s chest in response.

Ronan softly stroked Adam’s hair, “Guess so.”

He scratched lightly at Adam’s scalp and Adam hummed deep in his throat, almost a purr.

“There aren’t any lime skittles, Parrish. The green ones are sour apple.”

Adam lifted his head in sleepy consternation, “What? Fuck you, the green ones are lime.”

Ronan laughed and dropped his head back against the pillow, “Fine, asshole, they’re lime. I’m not getting into a pissing match with you about candy.”

Adam gave a grunt of satisfaction and rested his head back against Ronan.

Ronan shifted his arm around the small of Adam’s back, hugging him tight against his side, “There was a bachelorette party that came in tonight. I’ve never made that many margaritas in one shift before. They were on a fucking mission. The bride was the only relatively sober one – she seemed to be enjoying watching her friends get stupid.” 

Adam gave a low, sleepy chuckle. Ronan felt his breath against his bare chest.

“That sounds like you. Noah will probably make up some dumb drinking game that puts Gansey on his ass. Blue's gonna drink him under the table.”

Ronan made a questioning noise in the back of his throat, “A drinking game? Are we hanging out with them this weekend?”

Adam yawned, on the brink of falling back asleep, “No, dummy, when you have your bachelor party someday. Or maybe we’ll have a joint one. I dunno.”

Adam’s voice trailed off as he fell back to sleep curled up in Ronan’s arms.

Ronan’s eyes were wide in the dark.

_Holy fucking shit._

Ronan fell asleep smiling.


	2. Persephone Brings a Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Ronan needs things spelled out.

Adam climbed the hill from the train station. It was closing in on midnight and the town was quiet. He’d managed to get the very last train of the night after a long and tedious day. He’d been called in to work on a Sunday to help prep for one of the firm’s big cases. It had been hard to tear himself away from a warm and sleepy-eyed Ronan that morning. Ronan had understood, or at least he hadn’t given him any grief about it this time. They’d already had that fight enough times for them both to accept (grudgingly) that Adam's job would sometimes interfere in their time together, and while neither of them liked it, it wasn’t something Adam could change yet. If he climbed the ladder a little higher he would get to the point where his time would be more his own, but not yet. Days like this one were how he was making that happen.

As he turned the corner onto his street he could see a soft light glowing from his living room windows. He smiled to himself. Even after all this time a part of him was still amazed that Ronan was in his life. He never expected so much love to be his. He never expected someone to want to take care of him the way Ronan took care of him. He never thought he would _want_ to be taken care of, or to feel so protective of someone else.

Adam opened the door to his apartment quietly and stepped in. A single lamp glowed in the corner. Ronan was sprawled across the couch wearing a pair of Adam’s sweatpants, a book resting on his chest. His face was peaceful and his breathing was deep and steady in his sleep. Adam let out a breath. Ronan had been having nightmares recently and it was a relief to see him in a restful sleep.

Adam quietly set his bag down and toed off his shoes. He walked slowly across the room, careful to avoid the creaky floorboards, and went into the bedroom to change out of his work clothes. When he crept back in the living room Ronan’s eyes were open, a sleepy smile on his face.

“You’re not nearly as ninja-like as you think, Parrish.”

Adam rolled his eyes, “Only because you’re always on high alert. Every damn thing wakes you up.”

Ronan held his arms open in invitation, and Adam crawled on top of him, resting his head against his chest.

“How was work?”

“We’ll be ready for the trial. I’ll be happy when it’s over.”

Ronan hummed in agreement, his eyes closed.

“Seph came by this afternoon – she brought you a pie. It’s on the table.”

“She brought _me_ a pie, or she brought _us_ a pie?”

Ronan opened his eyes, confused by the question and possibly also still not totally awake, “Well, she’s _your_ neighbor and she brought it to _your_ fucking apartment, so I’d say she brought _you_ a pie.”

Adam opened one eye and peered up at Ronan, “You know we live together, right?"

Ronan huffed a laugh, "Right."

Adam opened his other eye and lifted his head so he could really look at Ronan, "I know we haven’t made it _official_ or whatever, because it makes sense for you to keep the loft above the bar, and it doesn’t make sense for us to live there all the time, but, in essence, we do live together…we just split our time between two homes…that we share… _together_.”

Adam watched the evolving expression on his boyfriend’s face -- his boyfriend who didn’t seem to think they were living together despite the fact that they’d slept apart exactly four times since they’d gotten together.

Ronan looked thoroughly gobsmacked. 

“Ronan, your clothes are here, my clothes are at the loft. There is actual _food_ in my fridge because you put it there. There is shampoo in your bathroom. _Shampoo_.”

Ronan’s eyebrows were furrowed. Adam smoothed his thumb over the deep wrinkle forming between them.

“ _We live together?_ ”

Adam closed his eyes and rested his head back on Ronan’s chest, “Yes, you beautiful fucking moron, we live together. We have for quite awhile.”

If Adam had been able to keep his eyes open he would have seen a big, goofy grin spread across Ronan’s face.

“Huh. We live together. Who fucking knew…”

“I knew. You’re an idiot,” Adam murmured into Ronan’s chest, and let himself be lulled to sleep by the sound of Ronan’s heartbeat.

Ronan wrapped his arms tighter around his sleeping boyfriend, and whispered in his ear, “…idiot that you _live with_.”


	3. Birthday Shots and Madonna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry, the party demon, gets Adam wasted at Blue's big birthday bash.  
> Ronan has the joy of taking care of him, while Adam tries to convey his love the way only a truly inebriated person can.

Ronan was going to fucking kill Henry. 

Adam lay boneless across the bed, belt undone, one shoe off. That was as far as he’d gotten before giving up. 

He was a victim of Blue’s Big Birthday Bash.

Henry had convinced Ronan to close the bar for the party, and then had invited nearly the entire village. Aside from no one paying for drinks, it seemed like a pretty normal Friday to Ronan.

“B! B! B! B!” Henry had yelled as he strode through the door, Blue riding on his back and wearing a crown. He turned around when he heard the gasp, “Jesus, Gansey, I didn’t see an actual bee… someone get this man a drink!”

Ronan should have known not to trust Henry to throw a low-key affair. That afternoon he’d snuck in and draped every surface in hot pink streamers. He’d also dragged in a karaoke machine that Ronan had absolutely not approved. Henry asked him how he proposed to have a Madonna-Off without one, in response to which Ronan threw a bucket of ice at him. 

The Madonna-Off _had_ been pretty entertaining, Ronan had to admit. Blue brought down the house with “Like a Virgin” but no one could top Noah’s “Material Girl.” But Ronan had preferred watching Adam’s look of pure joy at the whole spectacle. When Gansey took the stage and started belting out “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” Adam had choked on his beer and had doubled over in hysterics for a solid two minutes. Ronan loved seeing Adam cut loose and have a good time – his default position was to be reserved in social situations. He also wasn’t a big drinker – a couple beers at most – so Ronan was a little surprised to see just how much Adam was putting away. 

And this was why he was going to kill Henry.

He’d insisted on multiple rounds of shots throughout the night to toast the birthday girl. Ronan had done a couple and then told Henry to fuck off with the college bullshit. Adam, however, still had a hard time saying no to Ronan’s friends. On some level he was still the new guy in the group, and it felt good to be included, even in something as stupid as getting fall-down drunk on a Friday night. Somewhere after the eighth shot, though, Ronan had started gently removing the drinks from Adam’s hands and dumping them surreptitiously in the bar sink. Henry, however, was relentless, sneaking Adam sips of his drinks when Ronan’s back was turned. 

At the end of the night, Ronan had had to carry him up the stairs to the loft.

Adam picked his head up from the bed, “Rooooo… c’mere….”

Ronan set a glass of water and a stack of crackers on the bedside table and lay down next to Adam, “I’m here…”

Adam shook his head, and wrinkled his nose in displeasure, “No…. C’MERE.”

Ronan lifted Adam’s head and shifted closer so Adam could rest against Ronan’s shoulder, “Better?”

“CLOSER.”

“Baby, I literally can’t get any closer to you…” Ronan said, scratching gently at the back of Adam’s head.

Adam turned his face into Ronan’s neck, “I love you _so fucking much_. Do you love me as much as I love you?”

Ronan chuckled, “Yes, loser. “

“NOOOOO… you can’t love me as much as I love you… IT’S IMPOSSIBLE.” Adam shouted the last two words.

Ronan bit his lip to hold his laughter in. Who knew Parrish was such a loud and aggressively affectionate drunk.

He brushed his lips against Adam’s good ear, “I do though. “

Adam pulled his head back and tried unsuccessfully to focus his eyes on Ronan, finally squinting one closed “But how? If I love you this much, how can you also love me this much?”

Ronan furrowed his brow, “I… don’t know how to answer that.”

Adam pushed off of Ronan’s chest to sit up and nearly fell off the bed, “YES. This is what I’m saying. There’s no way anyone could love me as much as I love you, because the way I love you is SO MUCH.”

Ronan looped an arm around Adam to steady him. “Adam …” he hesitated, “Adam ‘I Should Learn Your Middle Name’ Parrish. You do not love me more than I love you. And I can say that without quantifying how much you love me. That’s not how this shit works. You love me as much as you do. And I love you as much as I do. Which is a fucking lot.”

Adam closed his eyes and swayed, “Did you just use the word quamti… quamti…? Why can’t I say _quamtifying_? Fuck, you use big words. I love you like 3% more now.”

Ronan sighed, “You really need to drink some water, babe. And eat these fucking crackers. And then you need to go to sleep.”

Adam accepted the glass of water and drank it down. Ronan sighed and lay Adam back on the bed, propping him up with pillows. He took Adam’s remaining shoe off, and stripped him down to his boxers. It was like undressing an octopus that had been shot with a tranquilizer gun. 

Ronan reached for the crackers but Adam snagged his sleeve and pulled him back against him on the bed.

“No, don’t go. I can’t stand it if you go.”

“I’m not going anywhere. You need to eat something, and drink another glass of water. God, you’re gonna be a fucking hungover pain in the ass tomorrow.”

Adam’s eyes filled with tears, “You think I’m a pain in the ass…”

“NO. I don’t, baby. I just want you to not feel like shit tomorrow. I just want you to be OK. OK?”

Adam sniffed and rubbed his eyes, “OK. I need you to hug me now.”

Ronan huffed a laugh and pulled Adam into his arms in a bear hug, “You beautiful fucking mess. I love you more than my own fucking life.”

Adam mumbled into Ronan’s chest, “I’m not a mess. YOU’RE a mess.”

Ronan smiled to himself, “Of course, that’s the part you focused on.”

Adam pulled back, “Whu…?”

“Nothing, babe. Go to sleep, for tomorrow Henry dies.”


	4. I Love You, You Big Stupid Oak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ronan overhears a conversation at the bar between Adam and Gansey. He gets all up in his emotions. Everyone is a tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [creativefiend19](https://archiveofourown.org/users/creativefiend19/pseuds/creativefiend19) for being so lovely and supportive, not just of this little world of mine, but of pynch writers everywhere, and for blessing us with their brilliant fics! Go read them! I mean, once you're done here.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“What…?” Adam opened his eyes. It had only been a whisper but the tone had woken him. Cold. Angry.

Ronan was sitting at the foot of the bed. His posture was slumped, but Adam could see that his body was rigid. He was forcing himself into a seemingly relaxed position, but Adam saw the tension in his body, heard it in his voice. The light from the loft windows fell across his clenched jaw, his white knuckles.

Adam pulled himself awake and picked up his phone from the bedside table. It was nearly 3am.

“Have you been up all this time?”

“Couldn’t sleep. So?”

“So…?”

“So answer the _fucking question_ ,” Ronan snarled, his voice breaking on the last word, giving away the pain behind his anger.

Adam sat up at that, “When was I going to tell you _what_?”

Ronan’s eyes flashed, “I heard you talking to Gansey at the bar.”

Adam suddenly understood.

“Oh.”

“Oh? _Oh_?”

“Ronan…” Adam started, his voice gentle.

“No. Fuck that. Don’t use that tone. Don’t fucking _handle_ me,” Ronan jumped up from the bed and paced to the front windows, “Just tell me. When were you going to tell me you’re leaving?”

Adam sighed, “I’m sorry you heard that. I’m not going anywhere. I wanted to talk to you about it tonight but the bar was so busy, and then it was late, and I wanted to have a real conversation so we could avoid _this_.”

“This? What’s _this_? Me being upset that you're _moving across the fucking country_? I think that would happen at any time of the day, Parrish.”

“I’m _not leaving_.”

Ronan shook his head, still staring out the windows, “I _heard_ you. You told Gansey they offered you partner if you agreed to take over the new office in Los Angeles.”

“And I said _no_. You clearly didn’t hear _that_ part,” Adam scrubbed his hands down his face tiredly.

Ronan spun around, the shock clear on his face, “You turned down _partner_? That’s what you’ve been working toward forever. That’s what you want.”

“It’s one thing I want. It’s not the only thing,” Adam sighed, “Will you please come back to bed so we can actually talk about this if we’re not sleeping tonight?”

Ronan hesitated before climbing back into the bed, sitting cross-legged and facing Adam. He kept space between them.

“I shouldn’t have told Gansey about it before you, but… I needed to sort it through, to figure out how to tell you about it to avoid _this_ , and he’s your best friend.”

“I’m not pissed you told Gansey… well, I’m not _primarily_ pissed you told him,” Ronan took a deep breath, “This is a big fucking deal and you made this decision without even talking to me? This affects both of us.”

“There was no decision to _make_ , Ronan. I knew the answer immediately – it was obviously a no,” Adam reached out and rubbed Ronan’s forearm. He could feel that Ronan was still tense, still coiled ready to strike.

“We’re supposed to make these decisions together,” he insisted, staring into Adam’s eyes, “You didn’t even give me a chance to say yes.”

“Yes?” Adam was confused.

“To moving. To making this work for you. To supporting you or whatever the fuck,” Ronan looked down at Adam’s hand on his arm and his next words came out softer, “I would have done that for you.”

Adam tightened his grip, “I _know_. And I don’t want you to. I know you would sell the bar for me. I know you would move away from your friends, from Matthew. I know you would completely uproot your life for me, and I am _never_ going to ask you to do that. Fuck that. I’m never going to _let_ you do that.”

“So you give up your _dream_ for me? I can’t fucking live with that!”

Adam took a deep breath.

“I’m not explaining this right. Ronan… I didn’t turn this down for you, or for us, I turned it down for _me_.”

Ronan just shook his head, and picked at the blanket.

“I’ve never had this before. A home. A _real_ home. I’m not giving that up for an old dream that I’m not even sure I want anymore.”

“You don’t want to be partner anymore? Since when?”

“Since… I don’t know. Since I figured out that I’m only happy on the train home, and not on the train to work.”

Ronan huffed a laugh, “That’s true of a lot of people, Parrish.”

“Not me. Work used to be the center of my life. I thought I was happy – having an important job, having a certain level of power and security and safety and money. But now, looking back at that person, he was empty… and lonely.”

“But I’m telling you that you don’t have to give up that dream to keep me,” Ronan placed his hand on top of Adam’s, “You can have both.”

“Ronan, this decision wasn’t just about staying with _you_ , it was about staying _here_. I like my life here. I like _me_ here. You’re the biggest part of that, but you’re not the _only_ part of it,” Adam dropped his head and growled under his breath, “I’m not explaining this right at all.”

Ronan reached out and touched Adam’s cheek, “You’re doing OK.”

“OK, look, I want to stay because I love our life together. But I also want to stay because Calla calls me 'Drop Stitch Murphy' whenever I see her because my knitting is still kinda shit.”

“I LOVE MY HAT!”

“I know you do, baby,” Adam grinned and rested his head on Ronan’s shoulder.

“And I want to stay because for some reason Persephone always brings us a pie on the third Sunday of every month.”

“She’s got a rotation,” Ronan mumbled, “I’ve seen the schedule on her fridge.”

Adam picked up his head, “When were you in Persephone’s apartment?”

“She needed help moving some furniture. Focus, Parrish.”

“Right. Anyway. I want to stay because Blue and Gansey and Henry and Noah are my friends now. My _actual friends_. Like ‘there-are-text-chains-without-you’ friends.”

“What.”

“I want to stay because Jordan and I are planning to take the girls to see Wicked the next time they visit, and you and Declan are not invited.”

“Thank fucking god.”

“So, do you get it now? I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for me. Because, yes, I want _you_ more than that job. But I also want _this life_ more than that job.”

Ronan still looked worried.

Adam sighed, “OK, just go with me on this for a minute OK…?”

Ronan hummed in agreement.

“So, meeting you was the seed of my happiness, right? And I fell in love with you and that seed grew into this huge tree.”

“I’m a tree?” Ronan arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you’re a motherfucking tree. I said to go with it.”

“Fine, I’m a tree.”

“Thank You. Yes, you are a giant, pain-in-the-ass oak tree. And that tree dropped a bunch of acorns, which grew into other trees. Blue is a tree. Gansey is a tree. Persephone is a tree. Noah is a tree…”

“Persephone seems more like one of those monster ferns…”

“Would you please focus on this analogy? It’s the middle of the damned night.”

“Sorry. OK, we’re all trees. Go on.”

“ _Anyway_ … You might be the first tree, and the most important tree, but now I’ve got my own fucking forest. And I can cut down my oak tree and drag it to L.A. but I can’t take the whole forest, and I love the whole forest. I’ve never had a forest before.”

Ronan put his hands on Adam’s face and brought their foreheads together, “You are truly the worst at analogies. But I still love you. And I get it.”

Adam sighed in relief, “So we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“I love you, you big stupid oak.”

“I love you, too, you forest-loving weirdo.”


	5. Motherducker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night texting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick one!

Adam (1:23am): Where are you?

Ronan (1:23am): Blue’s

Ronan (1:23am): I told you when I left

Adam (1:24am): You did?

Ronan (1:24am): You rolled over and said ‘mrrrrrumphle kay’ so I took that as ‘I understand.’

Adam (1:24am): no memory of this

Adam (1:25am): Why are you there?

Ronan (1:25am): She and Henry locked themselves out and Gansey is in Virginia

Adam (1:25am): neither of them had a key?

Ronan (1:25am): They each claim that the other one said they had it.

Ronan (1:25am): liars both of them

Ronan (1:25am): brought the spare

Adam (1:26am): Come back. I miss you.

Ronan (1:26am): I’m on my way

Ronan (1:27am): So…

Ronan (1:27am): how much do you miss me?

Adam (1:27am): …

Adam (1:27am): uh

Adam (1:28am): I’ve known you were gone for about 5 minutes so not that much

Adam (1:28am): 5 minutes worth

Ronan (1:28am): smh

Ronan (1:28am): you suck at romance parrish

Adam (1:29am): excuse you, I’m ducking great at romance

Ronan (1:29am): <duck emoji>

Ronan (1:29am): I’m just ducking with you. You actually are.

Adam (1:30am): ...

Adam (1:30am): I’ve been kind of mia lately though

Ronan (1:30am): yeah

Ronan (1:31am): it’s ok

Adam (1:31am): it sucks

Ronan (1:31am): you’ve had a lot of work

Ronan (1:31am): I get it

Adam (1:31am): I miss you though

Adam (1:32am): more than 5 minutes worth

Adam (1:32am): it feels like we haven’t had any time together lately and it’s my fault

Ronan (1:32am): so we’ll fix it

Ronan (1:32am): do you have to work on Saturday?

Adam (1:32am): I don’t think so

Ronan (1:32am): I’ll take off. With Malory back, he and Blue can handle the bar on their own.

Adam (1:32am): yeah?

Ronan (1:32am): yeah

Adam (1:33am): I love you

Ronan (1:33am): I know

Adam (1:33am): don’t ducking han solo me

Ronan (1:34am): <pic of Harrison Ford in carbonite>

Adam (1:34am): motherducker

Ronan (1:34am): you're so fowl-mouthed 

Adam (1:34am): ...

Adam (1:34am): ...

Adam (1:35am): i could not hate you more

Adam (1:35am): why aren’t you home yet?

Ronan (1:35am): because I’m texting a needy mofo and it slows me down

Ronan (1:36am): I’m home

Adam (1:36am): stop texting me from the doorway

Adam (1:36am): I see you

Ronan (1:36am): but it’s funny

Adam (1:36am): stupid ducker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I the only one still amused by the "ducking" autocorrect? Yes? I can live with that.
> 
> Peace out, motherduckers!


	6. Reading Glasses & Rum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam helps Ronan name Blue’s latest cocktails.

Adam rolled over in bed and found himself nuzzling into Ronan's hip. He cracked an eye open and peered blearily up at the tall, handsome man smirking down at him from where he leaned against the headboard, a notebook and pen in hand.

"What the fuck... why are you up...?" Adam asked, shifting his head to rest more comfortably in Ronan's lap. Ronan ran his hand through Adam's sleep-tousled hair, and he leaned into the soft touch.

"You know the new batch of cocktails Blue invented? We were perfecting the latest one tonight, and the key ingredient is espresso."

"Fuuuuuck...." Adam moaned.

"Fuck indeed," Ronan agreed, "She just texted me that she's currently deep-cleaning their freezer. We're both fucked for the night."

Adam sat up and leaned against Ronan's shoulder, "I'll stay up with you. Keep you company."

Ronan kissed Adam's forehead, "You don't have to. I'm fine. Sleep."

Adam shook his head and rested his chin on Ronan's bare shoulder, "Nope. Staying up with you. Don't have to work tomorrow, so it's fine."

Ronan pushed his new reading glasses up on his nose. They were solid black frames, simple and unadorned. The first time Adam had seen Ronan wearing them had been at the bar. He'd put them on to read the small type on an invoice. Adam had been talking to Gansey at the time, but had fallen silent after a fairly embarrassing _squeak_ came out of his mouth. He'd proceeded to walk behind the bar, and had wordlessly pulled a very surprised and delighted Ronan into the kitchen. Noah had quickly emerged blushing and grinning from the back.

Adam smiled at the memory and straightened the glasses on Ronan's face, "Have I told you how hot you look in those?"

Ronan grinned at him, "A couple dozen times, yeah. I'm glad my steady decline into infirmity is such a turn-on for you."

Adam hummed in agreement, "It really is." He took the notebook from Ronan's hand and squinted at it, "What are we working on?"

"Blue is stumped for drink names this time around. I'm brainstorming."

"I bet the glasses help. Maybe take 'em off and put 'em back on again... or chew on the end a little..."

"You have a one track mind. Jesus." 

"I'm a simple man, what do you want from me," Adam handed the notebook back to Ronan and snuggled into his side, "OK, drink names... what do you have so far?"

"OK, for the tequila-based one -- The Menace."

"I like that one -- sounds strong. And like it would give you a wicked hangover."

"You can take the boy out of Boston, but you can't take Boston out of the boy. _Wicked_. Jesus fuck."

"Cambridge, you heathen. Oh! The Heathen!"

"Now we're talkin'. Maybe for the gin one..." Ronan tilted his head and scratched his neck. "OK, three more -- whiskey, vodka, and rum."

"Wait, is the vodka one the one with the pomegranate juice?"

Ronan hummed in assent.

"Something vampire-y. Because of the color."

"Vampire-y? I believe you mean 'vampiric,'" Ronan said, putting on a professorial tone and looking pointedly over the top of his lowered glasses, suppressing a smile.

" _Goddamnit,_ " Adam's breath hitched and he climbed clumsily into Ronan's lap, straddling his hips, and kissing him fiercely, which was difficult since Ronan couldn't stop laughing. 

Ronan finally managed to catch his breath and placed gentle kisses on Adam's closed eyes, "I should have gotten glasses a long time ago, Parrish. I had no idea it would turn you into a sex-crazed lunatic... I mean, _more_ of a sex-crazed lunatic."

Adam made himself comfortable in Ronan's lap, wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling his face into the warm skin of Ronan's neck, "How about 'Sex Crazed Lunatic' for the whiskey one?"

"Meh. Maybe," Ronan sounded unconvinced, "But backtracking to the _vampiric_ idea -- how about The Marceline? Noah would dig it. He's obsessed with that cartoon."

"You're BOTH obsessed with that cartoon."

"You don't appreciate fine art, Parrish. Do we then also need a Princess Bubblegum drink?"

"Unless the drink actually tastes like bubblegum I think you're gonna have a lot of confused customers."

"Right. Good point. OK -- whiskey and rum..."

Adam started laying soft kisses up Ronan's neck until he got to his ear and then started gently sucking on his earlobe.

"Parrish..." Ronan's voice came out breathy.

Adam whispered in Ronan’s ear, his voice low and gravelly, "You're overly caffeinated, we're both awake, it's the middle of the night, and we're spending this time _doing work_...? Who are you and what have you done with my Ronan..."

Ronan stretched his neck, giving Adam more room for his ministrations, " _Your_ Ronan. I like that," he sighed. "So, is there another way you want to pass the time or...?" he asked, gasping as Adam's hand found its way under the covers and grasped his hip. 

Ronan threw the notebook across the room, and flipped Adam onto his back. He reached to take off his glasses, but Adam stilled his hand.

"Leave them on, please."

Ronan laughed and ran his hands over Adam's chest, "You and your myopia kink... Oh! That's gotta be one! The Myopic Kink!"

"For the whiskey one!"

"Yeah, why does it seem like it has to be the whiskey one?"

"No idea," Adam laughed, "but it does."

Ronan kissed Adam and rubbed his thumb across his cheekbone. He looked down at him with warm eyes, "God, I love you. What would I do without you?"

Adam smiled back up at him, "You're never gonna find out. You're stuck with me. Like an extra appendage... a third nipple... "

Ronan's eyes got wide.

"No!" Adam yelped, "Ronan, NOOOOOOO. You're not writing that on the drinks menu."

"Too late, Parrish! Done deal! Should I name it after you...? _Adam Parrish's Third Nipple_...?" 

Adam was laughing too hard to answer. 

**

He got a few curious looks the following week, but it was worth the gleeful look on Ronan's face anytime anyone ordered it. Adam even ordered it himself once, just to see Ronan grin. He didn't even _like_ rum. 


	7. I Want Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gansey inadvertently sets off an important conversation.

When Adam rolled over he wasn’t surprised to find Ronan’s side of the bed empty, despite it being the middle of the night. Ronan had been fighting his insomnia for the past few weeks. The doors leading out to the backyard were ajar. He picked up one of Ronan’s hoodies off the floor and shrugged it on.

Ronan was wrapped in an old, wool blanket, sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs, staring up into the dark trees surrounding the backyard. Adam didn’t bother to take the other chair, instead curling into Ronan’s lap and pulling the blanket around them both. Ronan let out a soft “oof” as Adam settled against him.

“Why are we out here?” Adam asked softly.

“You know why,” Ronan muttered, scratching Adam’s back the way he knew he liked.

“Mmmmm,” Adam purred into his neck, “He didn’t mean it.”

Ronan let out a scoffing breath, “He meant it.”

“Well, he didn’t mean it the way you took it. Gansey loves you.”

Ronan rolled his eyes, “I know that. It doesn’t change the fact that he thinks I would make a shit father.”

“He doesn’t think that,” Adam insisted, taking Ronan’s chin in his hand and turning Ronan’s face so he could see his eyes. They held a sadness in their icy blue depths that Adam wasn’t used to seeing. “He was talking about how impressive it is that _Declan_ is such a good dad having grown up largely without one.”

“Yeah, the implication being that I’m gonna suck at it, because I had our parents for even less time than Dec.”

Adam sighed, “Ronan, you’re the most loving person I’ve ever met. You’re going to be an amazing father if we ever go down that road.”

Ronan looked away from him out into the darkness of the yard, but wrapped his arms more tightly around Adam’s waist, “We haven’t really talked about that… the kid thing…”

Adam felt himself stiffen, and consciously released his muscles with a deep breath, “Yeah.”

“I was scared to bring it up. I kind of figured…you might not want to… do the kid thing,” Ronan struggled to get the words out, but kept going, “And I, uh… I do… want that.”

Adam took another steadying breath, “I never wanted kids before. But I think I could picture it now.”

Ronan’s eyes snapped back to Adam’s face, “You could?”

Adam gave him a small smile, “Yeah, I could. You make me want a lot of things I never wanted before.”

Ronan grinned, “Like a fucking vacation?”

Adam groaned, “I told you, we’ll take a vacation together soon, it’s just a busy time right now.”

Ronan burrowed into Adam’s neck, “Mmhm, heard that before.”

“Hey, weren’t we just talking about something more important than getting drunk on a beach somewhere.”

“There’s nothing more important than getting drunk on a beach occasionally, Parrish,” Ronan’s words were muffled against Adam’s skin, “But yeah, I think you just told me you want to have my babies.”

“And lose this figure?” Adam gestured down at his blanket-covered form, “I don’t think so.”

Ronan huffed a laugh into Adam’s neck, and placed a soft kiss behind his ear, “I’m glad Gansey stuck his foot in his mouth tonight. I was worried about this.”

Adam pulled his head back so he could look in Ronan’s eyes, “I want everything with you.”

Ronan closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Adam’s, “I want everything with you, too.” He sighed, “And I think I can sleep now.”

Ronan slipped his arms beneath Adam’s knees and under his back, jostling him into position so he could lift him. He rose easily from the chair and the blanket dropped to the ground. Adam’s breath caught in his throat at the effortless way that Ronan manhandled him. It never failed to turn him on.

Ronan walked towards the open doors to their bedroom and Adam wrapped his arms around his neck, “Sleep? Are you sure? I mean… we could start trying to make those babies…” 

Ronan smiled down at him, “You and I are going to have a little talk about biology, Parrish.”

Adam stretched his neck so he could place a soft kiss on Ronan’s lips, “Tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a brief foray into [plot-based writing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26939683), it's like sinking into a warm bath to return to my domestic fluffery.


	8. Chainsaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ronan discovers a kitten on the way home from the bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nov. 6: I'm stressed. Please accept this kitten.
> 
> ***
> 
> Updated Nov. 7: 
> 
> ::dancing drunkenly around with a giant basket of kittens:: YOU GET A KITTEN! AND YOU GET A KITTEN! EVERYBODY GETS A KITTEN! 💕

Adam woke up to soft sounds coming from the kitchen. He flopped his arm across the bed to verify that Ronan was indeed not beside him, and dragged himself out from underneath the pile of quilts.

He shivered in the cold room. They’d been complaining to the landlord that the heat wasn’t adequate since Fall had turned to Winter. They’d been getting by with extra layers, and shared hot baths, and cuddling in their bed, pressing against each other until frigid shivers turned to warm shudders and gasps. 

Adam hadn’t pressed the issue yet since finding ways to be warm with Ronan was his current favorite pastime, but as he wrapped his arms around himself and walked to the kitchen, he decided it was time to resolve the issue.

He blinked in the light as he pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen and surveyed the scene, trying to settle on what question to ask first. 

“Are you feeding her chicken nuggets?”

Ronan looked up and smiled, and Adam felt warmth flow through his body.

“Everything’s closed. McDonald’s was our only option. And she fuckin’ loves em! Look at her go.”

Adam watched as Ronan stroked the head of the tiny black kitten sitting on the kitchen island gnawing on a chicken nugget.

“As opposed to the cans of tuna in the cabinet?”

Ronan looked up at him with exhausted eyes, “It’s 3am, what the fuck do you want from me? I found her. She was hungry. I... I’m doing the best I can here...”

Adam moved to Ronan’s side quickly, “You’re right, she just needed some food. You’re doing the right thing.” He ran his hand up and down Ronan’s back.

Ronan leaned into Adam’s touch, “I was walking home and I heard her crying under old lady Carruthers’ porch.”

He scratched under her chin and she looked up from her mangled nugget and chirped at him, “She came right out to me. Climbed in my lap and gave me this _look_.”

“She gave you a look?”

Ronan ran his hand over her soft fur. Her entire body fit in his palm.

“Yeah... I don’t know how to explain it... but she’s... I think she’s ours.”

Ronan looked up at Adam. Adam looked in his eyes and could tell that he was prepared to fight for the kitten, but that he didn’t want to have to. He felt his chest tighten. Ronan kept finding ways to make Adam love him. 

“Then I guess she needs a name,” Adam smiled and placed his fingertips softly on the kitten’s head.

Ronan grinned up at him, “Chainsaw.”

Adam’s laugh burst out of him and the kitten hissed and backed away. Ronan cupped her gently in his hands and scritched her cheek, comforting her. Adam apologetically stroked his index finger over her tiny head.

“You wanna explain that one...?”

Ronan grinned and stretched up to softly kiss Adam’s cheek, “Listen to her purr...”

Adam leaned in and heard the low rumble coming from the kitten’s tiny body. He placed his ear gently against her back, the soft hairs tickled his cheek, and he found himself immersed in a deep, thunderous roar of contentment. His heart slowed, and his breaths evened out and lengthened. 

He raised his eyes to Ronan while keeping his ear pressed to the kitten, “I get it.”

Ronan smiled and ran his fingers through Adam’s hair, “Can we keep her?”

Adam raised his head somewhat regretfully from the kitten’s vibrating body. He wrapped his arms around Ronan’s waist and pulled him close, “I get to choose her middle name. Or her nickname. I’m not making vet appointments for ‘Chainsaw Parrish-Lynch.’”

Ronan grinned and rested his forehead against Adam’s, “Deal.”


	9. Mr. F***ing Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A late night talk about their first Christmas with Opal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write _something_ for the holiday season, but I don't have the juice for anything extensive at the moment, hence this little exchange. 
> 
> If you're looking for more substantial Christmas-y-ness in this AU, [here's what I wrote](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696231) in the sweltering heat of August. :)

Ronan rolled over and stretched out his arm. The bed was empty, but the sheets were still warm.

He propped himself up on his elbows and blinked sleepily. His husband was leaning against the window frame, looking out over the snow-covered trees to the river beyond. His long, elegant fingers worried at the drawstrings of his flannel pajama pants.

“Adam,” Ronan said softly.

Adam turned to him, his eyes guilty, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s fine,” Ronan yawned, and pulled himself a bit more upright, “Come back to bed.”

Adam climbed back under the covers and snuggled against Ronan, pressing his cold bare feet against his calves. Ronan wrapped his arms around him, pulling him closer in their shared pocket of warmth, “You OK?”

He felt Adam nod against his chest, “Mm-hm. Just thinking.”

Ronan rested his lips against the top of Adam’s head, “That’s not foreboding at all…”

He huffed a laugh against Ronan’s chest, rubbing his cheek against the old, threadbare tee-shirt Ronan had worn to bed. “It’s fine. It’s just…this is the first Christmas with Opal, and I want to make sure we’re thinking of everything. I want it to be the best Christmas she’s ever had…”

Ronan kissed Adam’s temple softly, “I know you want it to be ‘perfect,’ and it _will_ be great, but you need to stop putting so much pressure on yourself.”

Adam hummed noncommittally.

“Look… you know how I am about Christmas…” Ronan started.

Adam raised his head and arched an eyebrow at him, “Yes, I believe I do.”

Ronan mushed his palm into Adam’s face playfully, “Shut it, Parrish. So trust me when I say _I got this_. I am Mr. Fucking Christmas.”

Adam laughed and sat up straighter, “ _Mr. Fucking Christmas_ … you want that embroidered on your stocking?”

Ronan grinned, “I will love you forever if you do that.”

“I expect you to love me forever regardless of my mad embroidery skills, Lynch.”

Ronan picked up Adam’s hand and kissed the wedding band, “Promise.”

Adam closed his eyes and sighed, “So, you think she’ll be happy?”

Ronan leaned his head so it rested atop Adam’s, “Hell yeah. We got her every single book she’s been hinting about… and that giant fucking volcano kit… and _the rabbit_! Which, by the way, I think Chainsaw's cool with him. I spent some time monitoring them in an enclosed space, and they seemed relatively chill.”

“An enclosed space?”

“I put them in the tub together, and nobody died, ok?”

Adam pulled his head under the quilt and groaned.

“It was fiiiiine! They need to get used to each other!”

“You didn’t need to set it up like some sort of small mammal fight club though! You’re lucky it wasn’t a bloodbath.”

Ronan scoffed, “I was right there ready to pounce if Chainsaw so much as raised a paw. Trust me, it’s better they get acclimated early on so we don’t have to watch them every second.”

Adam made a grudging noise of assent, “But we agree that O is in charge of the rabbit, right? We have to show a united front on this or we’re going to end up taking care of it.”

“Yes, agreed,” Ronan rolled his eyes, “But we both know that if she doesn’t, _I’m_ the one on rabbit patrol.”

Adam smirked, “I’m glad we’re clear on that.”

Ronan took advantage of Adam’s closeness to tickle his ribs and Adam squirmed away, laughing a little too loudly.

“Shhhhhh,” Ronan whispered, smiling, “you’re gonna wake O.”

Adam rolled over and straddled his hips, “We’ll see who has trouble keeping quiet, Mr. Christmas.”

“There’s a joke here about you being a ho-ho-ho, but I can’t quite get to it… oh wait, I did,” Ronan grinned and wrapped his large hands around Adam’s waist.

Adam stifled his laugh against Ronan’s shoulder, trying to stay quiet. Ronan pulled him closer into a hug, and Adam felt as much as heard the contented sigh he let out.

“Adam, she’s going to be happy. And this is the first of a lot of Christmases with her. We gotta pace ourselves.”

Adam hummed in agreement, “Hence the rabbit and not a pony.”

Ronan kissed his neck, “Exactly.”

Adam rested his weight fully against Ronan and they sank back into the soft pillows together, hands finding the edges of shirts and pajamas. Their whispered words and sighs muffled beneath the quilts.

Down the hall Opal slept soundly, Chainsaw a warm, purring ball tucked in the crook of her arm.

Outside the snow began to fall.


	10. Long Live the Shitbox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know! I said I was done with this series! But here's the thing... I was sooo close to 100,000 words in my stats. And the idea of writing something short to hit it EXACTLY made my brain twitch delightedly. And this seemed like the best place to stow those 248 words. So here ya go! One last gasp of River Town!

Opal's head bobbed between the front seats as the car went over a bump.

“Seatbelt on!” Ronan ordered.

Opal huffed and sat back, reaching forward to angle the phone so she could still get a picture of the mileage.

“Can’t believe this thing got to 100,000 miles…” Adam said, shaking his head and slowly piloting the shitbox down the main street of town.

"Don't jinx it, Parrish, we've got a mile to go... could still explode," Ronan muttered, wrapping his arm around the back of the driver's seat.

It was closing in on midnight, and Opal should have long been in bed, but she’d acquired Ronan’s insomnia of late. They’d decided it was the perfect opportunity to watch the Hondayota roll into 100,000 miles as a family after eyeing the odometer for the past week. Tonight was the night. They’d driven up and down the hill a few times, and were nearly there.

“How long have you had this car, Dad?” Opal asked, her outstretched arm bumping Adam’s shoulder.

“High school. I completely overhauled it, and it's definitely lasted longer than I expected…”

Ronan huffed and muttered what sounded like _too long_ under his breath.

Adam cut Ronan a look, pointedly ignoring him, “If it lasts a few more years, you can drive it.”

Opal’s excited _Really?!_ was drowned out by Ronan’s horrified _Absolutely not!!_

Adam grinned, “Here it comes!”

As the number changed they all yelled the car’s newest moniker, bestowed by Opal.

“Zombie Car!!”


End file.
